Improvement in watoh-fteys



H. GANNEY.

Watch Key.

No. 77,028. I Patented April 21, I868.

invented a new and useful Improvement in Watch-Keys" gnitrh giant gstrittgffite.

HENRY GANN-EY, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

Letters Patent No. 77,028, dated April 21, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATGH-KEYS.

TO ALL WHOM ITMAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, HENRY GANNEY, of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson, and State of Kentucky, have and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same,

reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. I

The'improvement in watch-keys embraced in the present invention is of such a nature as to obviate all possibility of winding the watch-movement in the wrong direction, as well also asto preventlthe watch from being over-wound, which is liable not only to break or snap the watch-spring, but'also to injure the watch. movement in other respects. y

Inthe accompanying plate of drawings my improvement inwatch-keys is illustrated- Figure 1 being a side view of a key made accordin'gthereto, and

Figure 2 a transverse section,taken in the plane of the line a: a, fig. 1.

A, in the drawings, represents the spindle of the watch-key, which, at one end, B, is suitably uored out to fit over the axis of the main-spring of the watch-movement, and at its other, C; loosely passes through and turns in the frame or head-piece D of the key.

E, a spring, secured across oneside of the head-piece D, on which it extends in a direction corresponding with the length of the spindle A, the spring being'fixed at one end, a, but loose at its other, b, was to slide or givenpon' the head=piece or frame D-in a direction acrossthe plane of the key-spindle A.

a 0, two pins or studs, secured in key-spindle A, one upon each side of the same, in suitablepcsition to abut against the spring E if the spindle is turned in the properdirection therefor.

From the above description of my improved watch-key, it is plain to be understood that, by turning the head-piece or frame D, the spindle will be turned in conjuncti attached to such frame against one of the pins a in the spindle, thus winding up thewatch-moveme nt so long as the force exerted by the key does not exceed the tension of the said spring, the said head-piece, the moment such force exceeds thetension of the spring, passing by the' stn'd of the spindle on which it then loosely turns, thus releasing the watch-spring from all strain, and preventing all possibility of over-winding'it, as is manifest.

A watch-key constructed as above described also obviates all possibility of windingthe watch in the wrong direction-another important advantage. 1 i

I claim as new; and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of the head-piece D with its spring, E, spindle A, having one or more studs C,.-substantially as and forthe purpose described. 1 Q

HENRY GAN N EY. Witnesses SAM. K. WETBURN, A. D. CUNNINGHAM,

on therewith by the abutment of the spring I 

